The Nintendo Switch is finally launching in China next week, after the company has teamed up with Tencent in order to get the console and several titles approved for sale in the country.
According to a press release from Nintendo, a Nintendo Switch bundle, which contains both a Nintendo Switch console and a copy of New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe, will go on sale in China on December 10th. It’ll retail for 2,099 yuan, which is around $297 or £227.
There appear to be no plans to bring the Switch Lite to China any time soon although, if the release schedule is anything like it is elsewhere, the Switch Lite will likely arrive next year sometime.
While New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe is the only title so far approved for the console, Daniel Ahmad (ZhugeEX on Twitter) has confirmed that Nintendo plans to release other games, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Odyssey.
Games will be priced at RMB 299 (~$42) which is in line with regional pricing standards.
Currently only NSMBU Deluxe is approved for sale. Others to release soon.
Locally developed titles like ICEY and Chinese Parents are also planned to release for the console. pic.twitter.com/bfnV7MnH2e
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX) December 4, 2019
It’s not currently known if any of the games will be censored or altered prior to their release in China although, given China’s history of censorship and stance on the gaming industry, it’ll be highly likely that most titles will be modified and censored in some way.
On the bright side, Ahmad also reports that Tencent and Nintendo are “actively working” with Chinese game developers to bring indie titles to the platform. The two companies are also working with AAA partners, including Bandai Namco, Konami, SEGA, Ubisoft, and Square Enix.
In related news, Ubisoft and Tencent are currently working together to bring Rainbow Six Siege to China. Tencent Games and The Pokémon Company have also teamed up in order to bring a new game to the country.
Pre-orders for the Nintendo Switch in China are open now. The console launches officially on December 10th.